Invaluable
by Macx
Summary: The manor is full of old stuff. As is the attic. Erik finds more than just Xavier heirlooms. He finds out a little bit more about another Shifter who is so much more to him than just a lover. Shifter AU.


TITLE: Invaluable  
>Shifter 'verse<br>AUTHOR: Macx  
>RATING: NC-17<br>DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money :)  
>FEEDBACK: Loved<p>Yes, I wrote another one. I don't know what's wrong with me... This AU won't let go of me!<p>

x x x x x x x x x x x x

"Just how many generations left their so-called heirlooms up here?"

Charles looked at his lover and partner, smiling indulgently as he discovered the scowl on the handsome face. "Ten."

"What?" Erik stared at him like he was crazy.

"Ten generations of Xaviers."

Erik looked around the cavernous attic. The pitter-patter of rain was a soft background noise up here. Sometimes the rain strengthened and the noise changed into one of a tiny waterfall rushing down the roof. No other sounds from below penetrated up here. Only the miserable weather outside made any kind of interference.

The attic stretched out over almost all the mansion below. Exceptions were the towers. Someone could get lost up here without a map.

Charles chuckled as he picked up on that stray thought. "I believe one of my ancestors did a little cataloguing, but that was decades ago."

"No kidding." Erik walked into the depth of the collection of furniture, clothes, dishwares and whatnot. You could furnish a whole house with what the Xaviers had decided to store here!

Charles was curiously looking at a collection of paintings, then replaced the sheet that was protecting them. A clap of thunder had him look up. Spring thundershowers were the norm and right now it was the third in just as many weeks. The other occupants of the mansion had retreated to their rooms or the library, some had even gone to Westchester. The small town had been growing and more and more people moved there to revive the formerly abandoned houses. Many were mutants, some were family members of them.

"So, your whole family history is up here?" Erik asked, thumbing through an ancient book that looked like it had been up here since the manor had been completed.

"In a way. Every generation moved something else up here."

"What about you?"

Charles turned to look at his lover and shrugged. "Since coming back I haven't really been up here. I didn't have a say in what came down and what went up."

And the manor looked nothing like what Erik would have thought Charles would choose. It was one reason why they were here. Because Charles wanted to find out what was up here, what he could move into the rooms for potential new students coming in, what he could give to the people living in Westchester.

As it seemed, a lot!

"How many of your ancestors were Cursed?" Erik asked as he kept on browsing, discovering delicate china, tiny, graceful sculptures, silverware, but also a curious collection of keys and buttons.

"Mutations are not hereditary, Erik," was the lecturing answer. "They simply occur. Mutant parents don't automatically have mutant children, and generations without a single mutation don't automatically mean there will never be one. My parents were no more Cursed than yours."

Erik grimaced. "Yours just decided to keep you."

Charles stiffened slightly. "Yes. In a way."

Erik walked over to his lover and slipped an arm around his waist, pulling him close. His lips brushed over one temple.

::Sorry. Didn't think::

Because even though Charles had grown up in this place, he hadn't been a happy child. He had been unwanted in many ways. His step-father had married a wealthy woman who just happened to be a mother at the time, too. The Xavier name lived on in Charles and he had inherited it all, but he had never been a child; he had never been happy.

Neither had been Erik, a child or happy, but he knew why. Charles hadn't understood at the time and he had more or less taught himself everything he could do now, and more.

Charles shrugged again. "If they had known Shaw, or if Shaw had made them an offer, I'm sure they would have sold me, too."

Erik stiffened, anger racing through him. "Did they know about your abilities?" he asked, voice tight and filling with rage.

"No." It was almost a sigh. "I hid it from them. My mother was too drunk most of the time to notice me and my step-father…" Another shrug. "They didn't know."

Erik buried his face in the wavy hair, inhaling the scent of his lover. He had been sold by his parents who had been unable to deal with a waterbound Shifter. They hadn't known about the other Curse back then; Erik hadn't either. Shaw had shaped his life – and he had made Erik the emotionally wrecked man Charles had found. He had made him a weapon, a killer, someone to be used until he had outgrown his usefulness.

Charles' mind was suddenly there, flowing around him, holding him. Erik sought out his lips, kissing him hard, letting his emotions run free. When they parted, Charles was breathing hard, his eyes deep and dark, the color intense.

"I don't care about my past," Charles said. "All of this, up here and down in the rooms, it means nothing to me."

Erik smiled thinly. He had noticed. Charles tended to disregard his possessions. It was an adorable treat, but it also told the Shark a lot about the not so rosy past of the other Shifter. It made him protective despite the fact that Charles was anything but weak. He was a very strong and also very stubborn man.

Powerful, Erik mused. Sexy. Wonderful. Graceful.

Charles colored a little as the thoughts deliberately leaked through.

The Shark grinned widely. "Only the truth."

And he was attracted to it all, to the power and the strength and the handsome exterior, the wildness lurking underneath the sophistication. Charles undone was a sight to behold, be it in bed or outside.

Erik felt a thrill of desire course through him.

"So, mutations aren't hereditary?" he asked, voice dark and rough.

Charles nodded. "No."

Erik seemed to ponder that. "That means our chances of having a metalbending mouse or a telepathic shark for a kid are slim to none?"

The telepath stared at him, mouth open, then, "First of all: rat, Erik. I'm a rat. I'm not calling you a clam either. And second: what?"

Erik grinned widely, kissing Charles on the tip of the nose. "Rat," he corrected himself. "I know. A beautiful, brown rat. With an adorable, furry, white tipped tail. And soft ears. And a button nose…"

"We won't have children, Erik," Charles clarified, interrupting him.

"Of course not."

"It's physically impossible."

"Yes, it is."

"Even for Shifters."

"Never doubted it."

"So what…?" He stopped, finally catching on to the teasing not and the laughter coming through their connection. "Impossible!"

The Shark laughed more. He wrapped his arms around the lean form, pulling him close, feeling the warmth against him.

"You could try finding a female version of me, though. And see what happens," Charles teased back.

"No."

"Really?"

"No one but you."

"Not even a Charlotte?"

Erik silenced him with a kiss. ::No!:: he projected strongly.

Charles seemed to melt into the contact, physical as well as mental, content and happy and so wonderful. The Shark hummed in pleasure at his partner's happiness, his nearness.

"Would you want children?" Charles suddenly asked.

Erik drew back, surprised. "What? No!"

His lover shrugged. "Just asking."

"We have kids, Charles. A lot of them. In this house, of various ages, and they are a handful."

It got him a laugh. "Too true. I just wanted to make sure…"

"…I'm not missing a woman? I'm not. Why would I want procreation? I'm an Omega Cursed, Charles. Our life together will be long. I love you. I need you. You, Charles Xavier, not someone who has a womb to bear my children. I don't need offspring."

Charles looked into the gray eyes, warm and loving and deep. "They would never inherit our traits."

"I know." Erik brushed their lips together again. "You're all I need."

Because there was no other partner for him. There never had been one and never would be again. Charles completed him, complemented him.

"We should finish this," the telepath said softly.

Looking for things to take downstairs, to give the people in Westchester village, or to finally get rid off for good. Erik reluctantly let the other man go, feeling like he needed to reassure Charles that he didn't want a woman.

But the telepath knew, right?

He opened his mind, looking at the smaller man, willing him to see, to understand. Charles claimed he knew everything of him; he should know that Erik's interest was very single-mindedly in Charles. He could appreciate beauty in others of either gender, but there would never be an attraction.

Charles smiled, touching his chest, the hand a warm weight even through the black fabric of his turtle neck.

::I know. I know you:: he answered softly.

"Then stop doubting."

"Sometimes even a telepath can be unsure of what he sees."

"Then believe me when I tell you."

"I believe you."

Erik stared at him; hard. Then he finally nodded. "Let's finish this," he said.

And they did. At least the rough cataloguing. Charles found that there were whole archives up here and he would need a lot more time to go through the drawers of the many filing cabinets. But he had a good idea what furniture he still needed downstairs, what needed to be restored or repaired, and what he would give away. Some of it looked quite valuable.

Not that Erik thought his lover would give a damn.

They went downstairs again, both looking decidedly dusty. Erik had to grin when he discovered the dust bunnies clinging to Charles' hair and clothes. Not that he had any illusions about his own appearance.

"Swim?" he offered.

Charles glanced through one of the high windows into the rainy world outside. "Uhm…" It was spring, In Maine. Which meant freezing.

Erik smirked. He was immune to the cold and would gladly go into the water.

"Bath?" Charles offered.

"Spoilsport."

"You go and take your swim, I'll take a bath."

"Alone?"

"Unless I can interest Logan…"

Erik growled and pushed the smaller man against the wall, towering over him with a streak of jealousy flashing through him. Just mentioning Logan had that effect and Charles soothed him with a touch.

::Erik, please::

He shivered. "Damn!" he cursed.

"You trigger. You really need to work on that, Erik. Logan is no danger."

"It's what you say!"

"Yes, it is. He has had various partners and he isn't interested in me."

Erik growled.

"He isn't."

The Shark sighed, tension only slowly leaking away.

"I know he's a very strong personality and he is a dominant mutant," Charles went on. "He won't be the last, though."

"He feels like a threat, Charles. I can't help it."

"You can."

"Repeated exposure?"

The telepath chuckled. "Something like it." He reached up and curled a hand around Erik's neck, brushing his thumb over the pulse point. "Why do you believe that I'd leave you? That I'd be even remotely attracted to him?"

Erik wanted to protest that idea, but the calm caress silenced him. Charles was right. He felt threatened, thought Logan might take Charles away. But why? His lover was truly his.

The other Shifter kissed him, gently biting his lower lip. Erik shivered, feeling himself lean closer. The soft bites were intoxicating.

"Bath?" Charles murmured, never ceasing the caress.

Erik's eyes clouded over and he wasn't sure what was reacting to the other man: the Shifter or the human. Maybe both. Charles was like a drug and he couldn't but react.

The next kiss was stronger and Charles rubbed himself over the lean length, making his intentions clear. Erik was growing hard and he drew in a sharp breath when they separated.

Charles ducked out under one arm and walked to their room, the invitation clear. It couldn't be clearer if he had spelled it out and drawn Erik a picture.

Screw the ocean!

He went after the other man and firmly locked the door with a flick of his finger, then melted the metal of the door frame to truly lock them inside. No one would simply walk in here.

"Overkill?" Charles teased.

Erik tackled him onto the bed, firmly settling himself over the other Shifter.

"I thought you wanted to get rid of the dust?" his lover asked, teasing.

"I don't care. I want you," he whispered harshly.

"You've got me."

For good.

Forever.

Erik's fingers undid the buttons of the light blue shirt, pushing it away. His mouth sought out warm skin, placing kisses onto the collar bone, gently teething the place where he had placed his claim mark so long ago. Charles' fingers slid into his hair. He inhaled sharply when Erik sucked harder and pushed a hand into the open pants, sliding it over the hard length he found there..

"Erik!"

He grinned more, showing teeth, and put more pressure into his touch. Charles arched into the contact with a hiss. Erik's hand closed around him and the blue eyes widened at the hard, sharp pace that didn't leave him time to breathe. He came in a rush, arching, hands clawing at the mattress. Erik hovered over his lover, licking his lips, looking hot and bothered. Just watching Charles come undone had almost done the same to him.

The telepath pulled him close, wrapped a leg around Erik's and neatly changed their positions. Erik had a second to admire the smooth move, then Charles' mouth was on his hard length and his eyes slid shut from the sweet suction. Hot and with just the right pressure, the agile mind wrapped around Erik's and showing him just how much Charles appreciated the prior release, how much he loved Erik, how deeply he wanted all of this. Unlike Erik, though, Charles wanted to play and giving him a quick release had never been the plan.

"Charles…" he managed roughly.

Blue eyes looked up, lips red and wet, the expression in the smooth face far from obliging. It was downright mischievous.

Erik had never felt this much for someone this strongly. Everything. Charles was everything. And he knew it. Erik knew it, too. There was no one else.

::No one:: Charles echoed as he ran light, teasing fingers over the wet hardness. ::No one, Erik::

And then he swallowed him again, erasing every other thought. Erik felt his brain melt from the prolonged, sweet torture, he felt himself tense and grow limp, beg and plead, whimper and curse. Charles simply applied or removed pressure when he felt it was too soon.

::God, Charles, please!::

Slick fingers teased him and while they had never switched, the smooth slippery digit wasn't unwelcome. And then he touched that special spot and Erik came hard.

"Now it's time for a bath," Charles murmured, licking his lips.

Erik's mind was blown wide open, he felt raw and vulnerable, but the Shark was almost completely safe. He watched lazily as Charles crawled up his prone body, looking as ravished and undone as Erik felt.

Their lips met in a languid kiss. Both were still dusty, now covered in body fluids, and Erik couldn't care less.

"Water," Charles whispered against his lips. "Lots of water."

"I love the ocean."

"Warm water."

"Ocean's warm. It's spring."

It got him a grin. "I'm a landbound, my friend. I don't do cold water very well. And there is this wonderful invention called a shower just through the door."

Erik's smile widened. "Tempting."

_You are_, he thought. _Very tempting._

They didn't seem to be able to get off the bed, kissing and touching, Charles still perched over the shark Shifter, moving in a way that was more than suggestive. Erik finally pulled their hips together, bringing their partially unclothed status back to mind with a single thought that had Charles' zipper move a little. The other Shifter inhaled sharply as metal brushed over his dick.

"Kinky," Erik murmured when he caught the flush of thoughts that leaked through.

His little rat could be kinky and they had had some encounters that had been hot and heavy and wild. Charles never went anywhere he felt unsure or unsafe, and Erik was in no doubt over who could control who. One thought and he would stop doing anything. And he would never endanger Charles.

"Shower," Charles rushed out. "Now."

The bathroom had metal fixtures, too. Erik grinned when those images caught on to Charles.

"You're bad," the telepath whispered, hips twitching.

"And you want it."

"I want you. Very much."

x x x x x x x x x x x x

They finally made it to the bathroom. For a shower. Well, it was more like an afterthought. The rest was pleasure and release.

x x x x x x x x x x x x

Logan simply raised a bushy eyebrow when Charles and Erik finally reappeared, looking freshly showered as well as freshly fucked. No amount of soap could hide the claim the Shark had on his little rat telepath. He stuffed more sausages into his mouth, chewing, noticing the warning the Shark radiated his way.

Chill, he thought at the man.

He wasn't suicidal enough to want to fuck Charles. Not that the man wasn't good on the eyes, but he had no death wish. And he wasn't lacking in willing partners who weren't bound to a predator.

Both men got themselves their respective beverages, Charles water, Erik a beer, and Lensherr also eyed the hot sausages on the stove. He finally took some and ate them without any sides or bread.

_True pred_, Logan thought.

"Done?" Logan asked around a mouthful of meat.

Something flashed through the Shark's eyes, but Charles actually understood what the other mutant was referring to.

"I have a general idea. I want to move a large part of the furniture in the next few days. First we need to figure out who needs what in Westchester. Then the moving starts."

And then there would be a lot of spare room. There was already a lot of room, but the mansion needed work. Logan had been around and seen the need of repair. He had found himself volunteering, like many who lived at Westchester. Xavier was someone who had given all of them a second chance, who helped and taught and was there if a Cursed needed guidance. If he could give it. Logan had seen one or two bad cases where the Cursed in question had been so eaten up by hatred against humanity, they hadn't trusted anyone any more.

Finishing his snack, the mutant rose. "Lemme know when you need a real man to haul down your stuff." He smirked at Erik, who just glowered back.

Good shark, Logan lauded. Didn't rise to the bait.

His smirk widened and he left, aware that the gray eyes were glaring daggers at him.

x x x x x x x x x x x x

Charles had watched the posturing with a tolerant expression in his eyes. He finally reached out telepathically and caressed the angry mind.

::He wants to get a rise out of you::

Erik stared hard at him. "Really," was the flat reply.

::You always give it to him::

"He rubs me the wrong way."

Always the same.

"I think he wouldn't want you near someone he thinks closely of either."

"He doesn't have someone like that," Erik growled.

"No." Charles met the cool, gray eyes.

Erik had. And Charles was his. The 'hands off' couldn't be any clearer to a Cursed like Logan whose senses were so sharp.

"Play nice," the telepath only said mildly.

The Shark grinned, showing white teeth. "I always do."

Charles snagged a sausage and ate it, smiling back. "You still want to go swimming?" It was only half a questions because he could feel it; that need to be in his element.

"Later. I think you were planning a trip to Westchester."

"Actually, yes, I was. But you don't have to be there."

"Because I scare the children?"

Charles snorted, eyes dancing with humor. "Hardly. It's just not your thing."

Erik rolled his eyes. "I might not be the socially savvy little rat you are, Charles, my friend, but I'm not going to die of boredom."

Because Westchester was an ocean village. Erik could always spend the time near the docks.

"You're welcome to come."

"When?"

Charles looked out the window where the rain was still coming down hard. "Tomorrow. I don't relish walking around in this downpour without reason."

"It's just water."

"There's a reason why I'm a landbound Shifter, Erik."

"You're waterproof."

Charles smiled, eyes alight with humor. He was delighted to see the warm humor reflected in Erik's.

"We'll wait till tomorrow."

"Hm, more time for us."

"I was planning to get back into the attic."

Erik leaned forward. "I saw a very nice bed up there."

"You have a very one-track mind."

"In a very good way."

Charles got up and leaned over him, kissing the taller man. "A very good way indeed."

Then he left the kitchen and headed up into the attic again.

Erik didn't really need an invitation to follow.  
> <p>


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